Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-18
KiOWa Dance.
HOW TUE INDIANS sOLEMNIzR AN IMPORTANT RI
LI0IOUS CEREMONY.

BY invitation OF Sun Boy, the chief OF the Kiowas
recently attended, with three other pale-faces,
the great medicine dance Of that wariike tribe.
The place selected for the dance was 40 miles west
OF this place, on Rainy Mountain Greek, tribu-
tary Of the Washita River. The place was well
chosen, where just timber enough for shelter,
good grass, and springs 10 supply drinking water.
The Kiowas formerly participated in this
o. Sao hey have ong had TIVE n ny
past five years One buffalo at least is essential
to the medicine dance, and they had to 20 200
dance 1t was just sunset when our party arrived.
place was pointed out to US by one of the chiefs
our tepee erected, our horses staked to grass and
our water-kegs filled. Ali OF this work was done
by squaws. We were invited to supper, and TO our
surprise were seated on the ground to a sunptuous
very decided ONE Of he ca6 10
kiowa, so we got their program. an /, being weary
from our days travel, turned In and were soon Ia
next morning, and after hearty breakfast OF beef
ana conee, out no bread, we proceeded to take In
The epcampment consisted of 400 lodges ar.
ranged IN circle about one and a half miles in
circumference. In the center Of this circle the
medicine me, lodge was erected 1t was circle $50
about feet apart and green brush interviewer so
thick that one could not see through IL. In the
G inter- was pole about 40 feet In height, on which
the buffalo hide was suspended. On the west side
was placed the idol they worship, which was a
figure cut from stone, about Is inches high, r.
the idol was a cone-shaped pile Of sand, with
small opening at the top, from which issued con-
tinually very black smoke from one side and q
blue smoke from the other. How this smoke was
generated is beyond my ken. On the east side of
the circle was an opening, through which old Sol
threw his Respondent rays full In the face OF the
IDOL as he lifted his head above the eastern hori-
zon The dog-soldiers were dancing. The dor In
dian Is one who dances four days and nights with
ont sleep. II faithful, he Is honored among his
people. The buffalo dancers come next on the
program. They dance four days aud nights with
out sleep, but are allowed to take soup and water
occasionally in small Quantities They, II faith.
ful areAonored by the Great Spirit. The dOg.sOl.
diers had been dancing three days when we ar
rived, put one day OF this was enough for us. They
fall TO the ground, when they would be caught up
by Two or three stalwart bucks and carried to a
hole or wet sand and mud and rolled therein until
they returned TO consciousness, when they would
again participate In the dance.
Anyone OF the tribe that felt religiously IN
clined and that they would prove faithful, could
enter The dance, sQuaws excepted. We were not
allowed 70 enter the medicine lodge until we were
dressed q la mode: that Is with "a sheet and moe.
caSin on aud hats OF, when we were treated as
their equals The dancers were clad In sackclo.h
ana ashes. They worked themselves into high
state OF excitement, singing, praying and dancing
Some or them would be crazy for hours at q time.
1t revived in our minds the Bible stories Of oden
times
on the evening Of the fourth day after our
arrival Ti.lnu-da, the medicine chief, delared that
tne Great Spirit wore smile, and then the dance,
which had lasted 24O consecutive hours, was
brought to close, the beating OF the tom.toms
haVlng never ceased during the entire perform
ance. Then the donations OF the G reat Spirit be-
gan, but as our time was limited, we did not stay
lars worth OF fine shawls, blankets, moccasins,
robes, &c. deDOsiJed I'm a nile 10 decay